Becoming a Grosvenor Scholar in Washington, D.C.

As a doctoral student in Geography, I am honored to have been selected as the 2016-17 Grosvenor Scholar, as part of the Texas State University’s Grosvenor Scholar Program located at the National Geographic Society (NGS) headquarters in Washington, D.C. This opportunity will allow me to grow professionally by working to support national policy, research and outreach programs in geography education and the Geographic Alliances. My passion for the discipline of geography is exemplified in the following volunteer activities and academic coursework of the past four years.

As a PhD student at Texas State in the Department of Geography, I have gained valuable experience in geography education and volunteering for special events and projects with the Texas Alliance and Grosvenor Center. In my coursework I took classes in geography education and learned about virtual courses on geography education and websites of current and changing geography departments nationwide. In 2012 and 2014, I volunteered with Maggie Hutchins-Wagner, the Texas Alliance program manager, as a judge for the K-12 map contest held in the fall. As part of the Grosvenor Distinguished Lecture series, I have volunteered to promote and write an article about the “Transformational Partnerships in Malawi” presentation by President Joyce Banda in September 2013. In April 2015, I also volunteered for the Grosvenor Distinguished lecture on “How Geography Enriched My Life” given by Texas State Hero Mr. Jesse Luxton.

Through my participation in the various geography student organizations, I have been an active officer, volunteered at departmental and university special events, and shared resources for research and curriculum development. In May 2014, I was the departmental chaperone for the New Urbanism Field Trip sponsored by the Department of Geography and coordinated by the Student Urban Planning Organization (SUPO). We visited an architecture firm in New Orleans who assisted in the Katrina relief and renovations.

For six semesters, I have been teaching GEO 1309 Cultural Geography or GEO 1310 World Regional Geography. This teaching experience has continued to strengthen my understanding of major issues in human geography. Through my research, I will continue to develop my passion for teaching, student success and fostering a sense of community collaboration in the field of Geography nationally and worldwide. My foci are in human geography, geography education and medical/health geography.

It is my intention to continue my teaching and research career in geography and this Grosvenor Scholar Program will help me grow as a professional in the field of geography. As a Grosvenor Scholar I will learn about and help develop new programs, policies and assessments in the discipline of Geography to change our discipline to fulfill our national and world needs, especially in climate change issues and educational attainment.

I will assume my role as Grosvenor Scholar in August 2016. For additional information about the Grosvenor Scholar Program at Texas State University-San Marcos, contact Dr. Richard Boehm, Director, Grosvenor Center for Geographic Education, at 512-245-3615 or rb03@txstate.edu.